Heel machine



Jan. 27, 1931. F. ASHWORTH HEEL MACHINE Filed Sept. .4, 1923 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Jan. 27-, 1931. F. ASHWORTH -HEEL MACHINE Filed Sept. 4, 19

5 Sheets-$heet F. ASHWORTH Jan. 27, 1931.

HEEL MACHINE- Filed Sept. 4, 1923 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 Jan. 27, 1931. F. ASHWORTH 1,790,084

HEEL MACHINE Filed Sep t. 4, 1923 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Patentecl Jan. 27, I931 T tian AsHwonTHfoF' .wE'NHAivr, MAssAcHUsETTs, Ass GivoB. To UNITED SHOE MA- CHINERY CORPORATION; OF PATER'soN, NEW,.

JERSEY s r HEEL MAC-HIKE.

messy, A CORPORATION or 1 itEw 7 Application filed September 4,1923, Serial no. 66o',750, and i Canada April 4, 1923.

This invention relates to heel machines and is herein illustrated as embodied in a machine capableof performing automatically in sequencel the operations of compressingand breasting a heel.

' Letters Patent N 0. 1,501,171, granted July 15, 1924, upon application of Thomas Lund,

' discloses and claims broadly a-practi'calmachine adapted to'perform the above stated operations upon heels, and the present'invention' may, in certain of its aspects, be regardedas in the nature of an improvement upon and development of the, Lund inventionr twill be manifest, however, as the present description proceeds, that certain features of the present invention are not limited in their utilityto a machine 'forperforming the particular operations named, but are well suited to their own usesin shoe machinery of varioustypes.

One important object of the inventio'nis to increase the certainty, accuracy, smoothness and speed of operation of machines in which blanks such, for example, as heels are 111 the illustrated machine there fed automatically to one'or more positions where operations are performed upon-them. is provided a blank feeding mechanism operating to advance a blank in a straight line to aposition for the performance ofan operation upon the blank and then, by continued movemen'tin the same line, to advance the blank'from the operating means to a second position where the blank may either be subjected to another operation or discharged. A pair of endless chain's arranged to engage the edges of the blanks frictionally and moving always in the same direction may advantageously bentili-zed in the blank feeding mechanism' and, in the illustrated machine, the construction and arrangement are such that a plurality of heels are fed simultaneously todi'iferent positions. Practical experience has shown that feeding mechanism of this natureoperates I smoothly, rapidly and accurately, by reason of the elimination of the destructive-shocks and vibrations which are unavoidable when comparativelyheavy reciprocating blank feeding mechanism is employed.

Speed of operation in machines forperwith portions broken away to reveal forming multiple operations upon-heels is greatly aided by employing. a single blank feeding means for advancing the blanks-t0 V thesuccessive operating positions, in accordance with the present invention, and by frictional engagement of the blank" feeding means with theblanks, whichrmakes it possible for the same feeding mechanism to feed different blanks simultaneously through dit, ferent distances when required,

1 'lvlany other advantageous features and details of the invention will best be understood and appreciated by reading the followingv description of one successful, practical embodiment thereof in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which- Fig. 1 is a perspective view from the front, of the principal operating parts of a heel compressing machine Fig. l is a front elevation with certain parts of the mechanism removed;

Fig; 5 is a perspective View showing principally the breasting mechanism, as seen from the rear; i.

Fig. '6 shows'a detail o'fa'n automatic mechanism for stopping the machine-under V certain conditions;

Fig. 7 isa perspective View of a detail of the breasting'mechanism;

Fig; 8' shows aone-way clutch which forms part of the mechanism for transmitting inotion'tothe; feed chains;

Fig. 9 shows ad'etail of the feed chain driving and controlling vmechanism Fig-"1' 0 is a horizontal section Oren-stream ing knife mounting; I Fig. 11 shows a detailofmeansfor adjust ingthe position. of the breastingknife'; and Fig. 12 shows a detail of the mechanism for positioning a heel with respect to the breasts ing knife.

Referring now to "the drawings which;

previouslystated,illustrate a machine for perice forming the two operations of compressing and'breasting upon heel blanks, 20 indicates a conventional type of frame similar to those commonly used for commercial heel compressors. A stationary heel. seat forming die 22 is supported in the frame 20, being immovably secured in operative position by a bolt 24.

The heel seat die co-operates with the usual compressing mold, comprising a breast die 26 and side dies 28, carried by a cross head 30 which is, mounted to reciprocate vertically on suitable guides in the frame 20. Reciprocation of the cross-head is efiected by the usual toggle mechanism 32 operated by'a connecting rod 34 from the crank shaft 36 which is the main driving shaft of the machine. Further detailed description of thismechanism is unnecessary inasmuch as it is already well known in the art. A

, In the illustrated machine provision is made for supplying heel blanks automatically to the feeding mechanism as, for example,

by conveying them directly from a heel buildlng machine by means of an endless conveyor. This ,conveying mechanism is more fully illustrated and described in a copending ap plication of the present inventor, Serial No; 537,946 filed Feb. 20, 1922, to which reference may be had for a complete description of its mode of operation. For the purpose of the present disclosure it is suflicient to say that a pair of endless chains 38 carrying a series of heel feeding-fingers 40 is advanced intermittently, intimed relation to the operation of the compressor, to deliver heel blanks one at'a time from the end of a delivery plate 42. Secured to, and projecting forwardly from, the vertically reciprocating cross head 30 is a support 44 in which is mounted a table 46 which'receives the heel blanks from the delivery plate 42.

As clearly shown in Figs. 1 and 3 the-table 46 enters a corresponding recess in the top of the support so that theupper surfaces of the table and support are flush with each other. The-table 46 is secured to the upper end of a plunger 48 which passes through the support 44, and the lower end of which is arranged to beengaged by an operating device 50, upon the forward end of the ejecting lever 52 which is pivoted at 54 tothe cross head Y30 and the rearend 56 of which engages and operates the depending stem 58 of the heel ejecting member 60 of the compressingmold. The lever 52 is operated at the proper times .by a'rod 62which passes through astationary friction device 64, in co-operation with the vertical movement of the pivot 54.

The operation is such that, when the cross head 30 is in its uppermost position, the heel receiving table 46 is. elevated considerably above the surface of the support 44 and is sufiicientlyclose to the delivery, plate 42 t0 receive a heel therefrom without danger of mispressed blank must be ejected from the mold and an uncompressed blank fed to compressing position. The ejection of the compressed blank is accomplished by the lever 52 elevating the ejecting member 60 in the usual manner. 1

s As the end 56 of the lever 52 rises, the operating device 50, at the opposite end of the lever, descends, allowing the table 46, with the heel blank which has been deposited thereon from the delivery table'42, to descend until the top of the table 46 is flush with the upperv surfacejofthe support 44. The heel blank is now in a position from which it may be fed in a single straight line movement to the com pressing mold. The mechanism for efiecting this feeding movement will now be described.

Arranged-at opposite sides of the table 46 and the compressing mold, and extending from the front to the rear of the machine, is a pair of endless feed chains 66. At the front of the machine each of the chains 66 is engaged by a driving sprocket 68 which is secured to a vertical shaft 70. Each shaft70 is supported in a bearing carried by a housing member 7 2 which, in turn, is mounted to swing through a limited are about the axis of a vertical shaft 74 (see Fig. 9).. The two housing members 72 are connected to swing simultaneously and equally toward and from each other by segmental gearing 76, one of the housings 72 being provided with a laterally extending arm 7 8 which is operated at proper times by mechanism which will be described hereinafter.

Each sprocket 68-is geared by a chain 80 to a corresponding sprocket 82 which has rigidly secured to it a gear 84. The two gears 84 are so connected by a pair of gears 86 that they run at equal speeds in opposite directions. I I The driving of the gearing 84,86 and, ultimately, of the feed chains 66, is effected by the following mechanism: A rod 88 (see Fig. 4) is guided for vertical sliding movement in a bearing 90 formed in a stationary bracket 92 secured to the machine frame 20. The upper end of the rod 88 is in the form of an enlarged plunger 94, forming a shoulder 96 arranged to engage and bestopped in its downward movement by the top of the bearing member '90. Rack teeth 98 cut in one side of the plunger 94 engage a spur gear 100 to which is secured a bevel gear 102 meshing with a bevel member 112 is provided with a notch 114 which is engaged by a lug 116 upon one of the gears 84. Upward movement of the rod .88 and plunger 94 is limited by -an adjusting nut 118 threaded uponthelower end ofthe rod andsecured in adjusted position by a lock nut 120.

The operation of the mechanism justdescribed is'as follows: When the crosshead 30 rises, the plunger 94 is carried upward until the nut 118 on the lower end of the rod 88 engages the lower end of the bearing 90. Any further upward movement of the cross head results in rotation of the gearing 100, 102, 104, and the clutch member 106. This rotation is in the direction in which the clutch is inoperative to transmit powerv and consequently. the feed chains 66 are neither ad-' vanced nor retracted. The adjustment of the .nut 118, however, determines the point,with

relation to. the tooth 110, at which the pin 108 shall stop and, therefore, the amount of lost mot-ion between these two elements which will occur before the pin engages the tooth .and begins to rotate the clutch member 112 on the'next downward stroke of the cross head. It will be understood that this adjustment affords means for varying the distance through which the feed chains 66 shall move each time they are operated.

On the downward stroke of the cross head 30 the plunger 94 descends until the shoulder in'the drawings, and feed the blank from the table 46 to the compressing mold. To this end it is necessary that the feed chains be separated sufliciently to allow the blank to enter between them, without danger ofmisplacement, when the table descends from blank receiving position; and then move toward each other until they firmly engage the edges of the blank. The arm 78 is connected by a link 122, which-passes; through the cross head 30, to a lever arm 124 at the back of the machine, the rearendofithe'link 122 being surrounded by a spring 126 which tends to move the link rearwa'rdly. The lever 124 is fulcrumed on an upright stud138 secured in a bracket 128 projecting from the rear face of the cross head '30 by a set screw 1S9, andthe inner end of the lever is geared to an arm .130, also fulcrumed in the same bracket. ()1;

swinging arm 136is also" pivoted. upon the stud 138 and' is provided with adepending ear 140, the lowerend of which is positioned the upper side of the lever1-24 is a U shap'ed V member 132 into whichare; adjustably threaded two setscrews 134 theline joining the points of which is slightly eccentricf to the axis about which the lever 124 moves. A

between the' points of the set screw 134. From the foregoing it willbe understood that oscillation of the lever 124 will cause the arm 136 to swing about its pivot 138, and that the limits of movement of the said armlmay be varied by changing theadjustment of the screws 134. I x

The outer end of the arm136 has a bearing 142 for an upright stud-144 uponwhichis pivoted aswinging fork 146. -A; set screw.

148 is arranged to iengage the stud 144 and secure it'in the arm '136.. An. adjustable stop j screw 149 is threaded through the fork 146, v

a lock nut 151 being provided to seam n in adjusted position. The pointxof thescrew 149 bears upon a portion of the arm 136, providing for angular adjustment ofthelfork ries a freely turning, idle sprocket around which the corresponding feed chain 66 passes and the angular adjustment of thesfork is for the purpose of tightening the chain.

-Movable with the arm is a swinging arm which corresponds to the arm. 136

and is provided with an enlargednend-152 in which 18 securedra-stud 154 ,up'on'wh1ch 1s pivoted a fork 156; corresponding to the foil: 146. The fork 156 is provided with an idle sprocket for the-other feed chain 66 and a set screw 158 has a function similar to that of the set screw'148. An adjusting screw- 153,.threaded through thefork 156 and pro- 7 so 146 relatively to, the arm The fork 146carvided with a lock nut 155, bears against a portion 157 of the arm 150 .and .provides'for tightening the second feedc h'ain' 66. rea son .of the gearing together of thelevers 124' and 180 the arms 136 and,150 are caused to more equally toward and from;each other and, by the link connection 122, a corresponding simultaneous movement of the housings 22 is effected. The practicalresult is that the feed chains 66 ;are .maintained in parallel relation and are moved, at suitable times, toward and from each other to engage and release blanks which are between them.

The mechanism just described is operated in proper time relation to the compressing cam lever 164 which is pivoted at 166 to a stationary bracket 168 bolted to the machine frame. "The opposite end of the lever 164 is connected by an adjustable link 1?0 to a horizontal rocker arm 172 secured to the shaft 173 upon whichthe arm- 130 is mounted. The cam is so formed that, as the cross head 30 descends and a blank upon the table 46 is 1 20 mechanism by a cam-160, on the crankshaft '36, which engages a roll 162in one end of a deposited between the feed chaii1's66, the said chains are nibved toward. each other; until they firmly engage the edges ofthe blank, whereupon the feed chains are moved through a sufficient distance to advance the blank to a position upon the ejector plate 60'ofthe compress'ingmold, which ejector is, at this time, in its elevated position. The approachof thechains 66 afford rigid supports for said chains against" transverse yielding and insure the maintenance of firm engagement between the chains and theblanks. These bars are mounted upon the chain carriers andpartake of the movements of approach and separation of the chains. During the next upwardstroke .of the cross head 30 the feed chains separate, releasing the blanks and, the

plate 60 descending, the blank which rests thereon is deposited in the compressing mold Where it iscompressedin the usual manner.

In order that the-blanks shall enter the compressing mold properly it is.necessary that they be accurately deposited upon the plate 60. Under certain conditions, when molds are changed for heels of different sizes, breast dies 26 of difierent thicknesses are used and under these circumstances it is necessary to deposit theheelblank upon the plate 60 with its breast edge in a different position. This is provided for by initially delivering the blank to different positions uponthe table 46, such positions being so selected that the movement ofthe blank effected by the feed chains 66 will be just sufficient to deposit the blank in exactly the right position with respect to thecompressing mold; To this end edge guides 176, 17 8 are provided upon the delivery table 42. An adjustable slide 180, regulated by a screw 182, is provided with an upright pin 184 engaging the rear gage member. 176, which is adjustable about a pivot 186. The front gage 17 8 is similarly adjusted by a screw 188. By appropriate adjustmentof the two gages 176, 178 the position in which the blank is deposited upon the table 46 is appropriately determinedand by this adjustment, in connection with the feed chain adjustment afforded by the nut 118, the location of the blank with respect to the compressing mold may be controlled with precision.

As has already been indicated, the illustrated machine is arranged to compress heel blanks and then to breast the compressed blanks. The breasting mechanism and its relation to the compressing mechanism will now be described.

To the rear portion of the cross head 30 is secured an upright frame 190 which moves up and down with the cross head. ,V-shaped surfaces '192, formed on theside' members of the frame 190 slide in V, grooves194 in the edges of a knife holden196; The knife hold- .er 196 has a recess 198intoj-which enters a projection 200 formed upon a stationarybracket 202 which is bOltGdltOthG machine frame 20. The knife holder 196 .is-thus lheld stationary while the cross head 30 approaches and recedes from it. I r

A heel breasting knife 204 is secured in the knife holder by draw bolts 206 which pass Aipair of wedge blocks is provided for supporting each edge of the breasting knife and each of the blocks 216 has -a shoulder 222 against which an edge of the breasting knife drawn by the heads of two of-the bolts 206.

The two pairs of co-operating wedge blocks provide means for regulating the positionof the breasting knife in a direction transverse to its cutting edge and, being independently adjustable, they also provide for varying its angular position, in a horizontal sense. Each of the wedges 218 has threaded into its upper end a screw 224, the head of which engages in a. slot 226 formed in the front side of the knife holder 196, the screws 224 serving to control the adjustment of the wedges. It will be understood that the adjustment of the wedgesis effected with the nuts 210 slackened. The said nuts are then setup, to secure the breasting knife rigidly in its adjusted posi tion. A portion ofthe knife holder projects forwardly, as shown at- 228 and adjustable knife stops 230 are threaded through the projection, the adjustment of the stops being maintained by lock nuts 232. The stops 230 determine the vertical position of the breasting knife. Gibs234 on the face of the knife holder form ways to receive a chip guard 236, which is freely movable vertically in the said ways but is prevented from dropping out by lugs 238 bent from the body portion of the guard and resting upon the upper ends of the gibs. The guard is provided with a shield 240 which fits the space between the guard and the breasting knife, preventing chips from being jammed in the said space, and causing the chips to be discharged downwardly in front of the heel support presently tobe described. 7 j

A cylindrical plunger 242, operating through a spring pressed friction sleeve 244, serves as a presser foot to hold a heel in position while it is being breasted. I The friction sleeve is mounted in the knife carrier and is, therefore, stationary. A rod 246 extends upward from the plunger 242iand its upper end is engaged by the vertically reciprocating frame 190 to operate the plunger in 'a manner which. will be more fully described herein .aiter.

AL-fter a compressed heel is removed from the compressing mold, it is transferred by the chains .66 to breasting position,.where it isdeposited upon'a-heel support 248 mounts ed upon the cross headSO, The position of theheelwith respect to the breasting knife is determined bya fork shaped. back gage 250 carried by a supporting member 252 and adjustable forwardly Zand rearwardly there otby meansof a screw 254: which is threaded into the member 252 and whose head engages a slot in the bac gage 250'. The supporting.

member 252 ismounted upon the upper. end

of a vertically movable plunger 256. having. r st at its lower end a cam roll 258 which upon an oscillatory cam260carried by an arm 262 secured to theshaft 17 3. Itwill be apparentthat the rocking of thezshaft 173 will cause the cam 260 to oscillate and conseqnentlythe .snpportingmember 2.52 and the back gage 250 to rise and fall. The purpose. f this move en ofzt e back gag a s. 2 support is to present the back gagein'position to locate the heel for the bre'astingoper 'ationand then to lower the back gagesuflt I ciently to permit thebreasted heel tobe dis.-

ch arg'ed over it.

Inasmuch as the back gage 25.0 is relatively low and, in. orderto prevent heels-from acci-I dentally passing over .it or otherwisefailing to be properly locatedby it, stops.264 ,;areadjustably. mounted upon the bars 17 & .andare I so arranged that'the rear, curved end of the 1 gagementwith the heel, which :isleft in very;

heel will .engage'them at, or slightly before,-

the time when the :heel has reached the back gage 25.0, These stops are. of substantial I fi ight and :are suflicient to preventthe heel from being accidentally carried past breasts ingposition. After the feeding. movement of the chains66 hasstopped the chains separate, carrying the stops 264k with themout of ennearly, .or exactly, proper position tov be breasted. p I q In .order to insure that the heel shall be positioned with .the utmostprecision a striker- 2.6.6. is pivoted at 268 and providedwith heel breast engaging members 270. The striker is operated at proper times by mechanism which will now be described.

A bracket 272 bolted to the machine frame carries two stationary cams 27l and 276. An arm 278 secured to the striker 26.6 carries a .cam. roll 280 arranged to engage the cam 27 land held. against the cam by a spring 282. -,A latch 284 is pivoted at 286lin the cross headBl) and is. controlled by .a cam roll .288

which engag s t cam 2.76.v When th CtQS head startsto ,ris'ethe latch is held out of engagementwith the arm 27 8 by the cam 276 until the roll 280 has passed into the low part of the cam 27 4, permitting the spring 282 to operate the striker 270 gently to engage the breast face of the heeland position it accuat separated points, orients the heel aswell as positions it longitudinally. head rises further. the roll 28.8 passesinto the low part of the cam 27.6 and when finally the roll 280 rides upon the. upper rise of the cam 274, thefstriker- 270 is retractedand the latch284 is hooked over the end of the arm 7 I 278, locking the striker'inits retracted .posi-. tionwhere it remains I during the breastingij 89 a Whenthe orossfheadfdescends the strikeroperation.

is held retracted by th'e latch 284; until the As the cross rately against the'back gage 250... The striker. 0 v 270, being arranged to engage the heel breast roll: 288 reaches the rise on the cam 276, v

whereupon the striker is unlocked .and islop:

erated suddenlyby thespring 282, striking' the heel a sharp blow and knocking it into the di charge" chuteeeo, At the time w en thestrikerisreleased by the latch 284-the roll- 28 0 is out of engagement with the cam 274 and its position is such thatit moves into theilow part of thersaid cam s the striker I oPfil'fltesJ In the final portion of the descent offthecrosshead the roll'280 rides np'onthe lower rise .ofi the cam-.274, "again retracting the striker 27,0,to inoperativeposition.

In order to controlproperly the timing of,

the .descen't'of the back gage 2.50 and the supporting member "252. a slid'able rod 292 is ar' ranged to engage the member 252 and maintain it, in .elevatfidjposition after it has been raised 7 by the? can; 260 For the purpose of retracting the rodi to releasethe 'member252 and allow itland the back gageto. descend rod 292 anda I upward by a-spring-BOQ. A stationary pin "3,02 projects from the rear. face of the; knife holder 196 and is arranged to be engaged by the h or i zontal arm of the bell lcrank lever. when the cross head 30 reaches the upper. limit of its mOVementJ This causes the-rod 292. to .b aretracted, permitting the back gage to descend sufliciently to allow thebreasted heel to be discharged over it. v I

. In order to prevent damage to the work or breakage of the'machin'e' during the progress of theheels thel'ethrough means is provided llt) forgautom'atically stopping. the machine in the event of any misplacement of a heel which is 'likelyito occur, If aheel should be in a:

position between the table- 46 "and the com pressing mold, or between the compressing mold A and the breasting mechanism, as the cross head 30 nears the upperlimitof its movement there isfdanger that such "a heel will be caught between parts of the machine nd f st-W d a P S b W of ea some part of the. machine. Feelers 304 are,

therefore, arranged to engage the top ofthe cross head, in the feeding path, at these places at'the time mentioned and to operate mechanism for stopping the machine if a blank is improperly present. The feelers 304' are mounted on a rocker member 306 arranged to swing about stationary pivots 308 and provided with a lever arm 310 connectedjto'a vertically movable rod 312.

A cam: 81 i secured tothe crank shaft 36 actuates one arm 316'ofa bell crank lever; the other arm 318 of vwhichextends forward.

and carries a block 320 through which the rod 312 passes. This arrangement controls a wellf known form of'stopping mechanism, and it is sufiicient to explain here that whether or not the machine shall be stopped is dependent upon the amount of relative'movement between the rod312 and the block 320'. If this relative movement is sutiicient 5 the machine is stopped, otherwise it continues to run'without interruption. The cam 314 oscillates th lever 318 once foreach cycle of operation of.

the machine. If a heelblank isfin' position to engage either of the feelersBQl whenfthe cross headBO' rises the-rod 312 will be de pressed and the relative movement between U it and the block 320 will be sufli'cient tofstop the machine. On the otherha'nd; if no blank.

is in position to engage either'of the feelers the rod 812 will not bedepreslsed and the relative movement referred towill not be sufficient to stop the machine, which will continue to operate in the regular manner.

. Novel features of-the heel breast ng mechanism described, but-not claimed, herein are claimed in my copending application Ser. No. 481,836 filed Sept. 15, 1930 as adivision. of the present application. a f 7 Having. described my invention, what 11 claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent" of the United States is: a

heel machine comprlsin'g means for, operating upon a heel blank, and mechanism movable from a blank receivingxposltion at one sideof the operating means toga position at theopposite side of sa1d means constructed and arranged to engage a blank frictionally,

feed it to the operating means, and releaseit in position to-beoperated upon by said opcrating means. I a

2. Aheel machine comprising means for operatlng upon aheel blank, and alpa r of blankedge engaging feed chains at opposite sides of the operating means and extending from a blank receiving p'osltlon at one side of the operatlng means to a blank delivering position at the other side thereof.

3. In a heel machine, a compressing mold,

andmechanism for feeding a blank to the mold comprising blank edge engaging chains having parallel stretches at opposite sides of i the' mold. i

4. In a heel machine, a compressingmold,

engagin ment when one of the blanks reaches apre-i' blank edgepenga'ging chains at opposite sides of the mold, means for moving the chainslongitudinally to advance blanks placed between them, and means for effecting relative movements of approach and separation between the chains to cause them to engageand disengage saidblanksa'. h l 5;Mechanism'for feeding a plurality of:

f blanks simultaneously to different. positionscomprising feeding means constructed and arranged to engage all the blanks frictionally and to release all the blanks whenone'of them reaches one of said positions. 1

. GQMechanism for 1 feeding a plurality of' blanks simultaneously to differentpositionscomprising feeding means forpfrictionally' V oppositeedges of each blank, means 3r releasing the frictional engage-f determined position. V

7. A machine for operating upon'i'h'eel blanks comprising means for performing an operation upon a blank, and single means for feeding afblankin a right line to thepperating ne'a ns, releasing" the blank for operation thereon, and transferring the blank away from the operating meansafter the operation i performed 8. A heel machine I comprising'tincans for 1 operatingupona heel blank, and; a pair off feedchains constructed and arranged. toen' gage oppositev edges of a blank,'feed the blank L to the operatingimeans, release the blank for operation thereon, and transfer the blank away from the operating means after the operation is performedj 9. A heel mach'ne comprising means for operatingupona heel blank, a pair of. feed chains constructed and arranged toenf gage opposlte jedges ofga blankand feed itto andawayfrom the "operating means.

combination of means foroperating upon a blank, means for feeding. blanks successiveg ly throughthe same distance to the operating means, means forsupplying blanks sue cessively to the feeding means, and means for varying'thepoint in the feeding path at which the blanksupplying means delivers V blanks to the feeding means. 12. In a machine of the class described, the combination of means for operating'up'on a blank in a plurality ofs eparated positionsso located. as to requirethefbljank to be fed different distances, a single feeding mech-a means for'breasting the heel, and means for:- transferring the heel in a single straight line nism engaging the blank frictionallyto feed it to the different operating positions and movable intermittently through equal 'dis-v tances, and means for stopping the blank at one of the operating positions prior to cessation of movement of the feeding mechanism. p

13. In a heel machine, the combination of heel breasting means, and mechanism for feeding a blank to the breasting means comprising blank edge engaging chains having parallel stretches at opposite sides of said means.

14. In a heel machine, the combination of heel breasting means, blank edge engaging chains at opposite sides of said means, means for moving the chains longitudinally to ad vance blanks placed between them, and means for efiecting relative movements of approach and separation between t-he chains to cause them to engage and disengage said blanks.

15. In a machine for compressing and breastmg heels in a COIltlIlUOUSi operatlon, means for compressing a heel, means for e ecting' the heel from the compressing means,

movement from ejected position to breasting position. I

16. In a machine of the class described, the combination of heel compressing means, heel breasting means, and a single mechanism for feeding aheel to the compressing means and transferring it, after compression, from the compressing means to the breasting means.

17. In a machine for compressing and breasting' heels in a continuous operation, means for compressing a heel, means for breasting the heel, a pair of heel edge engaging chains extending from the compressing means to the breasting means, said chains being arranged at opposite sides of both of said means. and means for moving the chains longitudinally to transfer compressed heels from the compressing means to the breastin means. I 18. A machine for compressing and breasting heels in a continuous operation having I separated, alined, heel receiving, heel compressing, and heel breasting stations, and

means for feeding heels one at a time from the receiving station to the compressing station and from the compressing station to the breasting station.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification.

FRED ASHWORTH. 

